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Winter storm delays Marines' homecoming from Afghanistan

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Marines step off a chartered flight at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina Wednesday night. The Marines were returning home from Afghanistan, but were unable to make it home to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., because of hazardous weather conditions, news outlets reported. The local USO branch lobbied hotels to provide rooms, and businesses to feed the Marines.
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The winter storm that swept through Louisiana and the rest of the South has delayed the arrival of more than 250 Marines returning home from Afghanistan. They were stranded at hotels near the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville, N.C., Wednesday night because of the storm, a North Carolina news outlet reported.

The Marines landed at the civilian airport about 9 p.m. but were unable to make the trip to their base at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, at Havlock, about 150 miles from the regional airport.

According to one news report, the Marines’ flight was diverted from Cherry Point because of weather conditions. However, a military news outlet said the Marines were supposed to board buses from the Raleigh-Durhan for the trip to the air station but were unable to to make it of icy roads. The air station said it was closed until Friday because of “hazardous driving conditions.”

Marines weren’t allowed to spend the night in the airport. So nearby hotels provided rooms, and the USO and local businesses provided meals, North Carolina USO President John Falkenbury told ABC affiliate WTVD.

“They were talking about taking buses down there,” Falkenbury said. "Obviously with road conditions the way they are, we’d better be safe. That’s why we’re so appreciative of the guys at the RDU Airport, our volunteers, all of the local hotels. There are five to six hotels that have ponied up rooms help to keep these troops overnight.”

The Marines were unable to take their weapons with them, so they had to leave them on the airplane, according to the report.